Letsgoloolala with Lily Anne
I was keen to invite Beatriz and Vicent to Aldaia and Manises and return some of their hospitality. The sleepover idea made it extra special. I decided in advance that they would have the bridal suite which Salvador el gato had tried to share with me on numerous occasions but never did. By now Salvador had literally flown the coop. Friends of Vicente and Gabrielle who had already transported their cat from Aldaia to Buenos Aires on a previous year were commissioned to bring Salvador to Ireland on 4th October.
I think I cooked hake. Beatriz arrived with sweet roasted pumpkin. The tall Valencian Vicent showed a serious interest in the coach house- in fact they both did. For Vicent it was home from home. It resembled in some detail his mother’s house in which he and his siblings had grown up. The doors, the floors, the ceilings were examined with real interest, also the wooden shutter between the living-room and the bathroom. Then off they went to explore the outside of the house. They agreed that it was a very traditional Valencian home, the most traditional that I could see in the surrounding streets. They knew already that Aldaia was famous for fans (abanicos) that are hand painted and made of wood and tissue. We went for a walk to neighbouring Alaquàs and stood for a while in the plaza, peeping in the door of the castle close to the square where Paqui had played and later been courted by her prince from the other side of the river. I told them how I had ‘happened’ on a delightful school ceremony there for children moving from primary to secondary.
Vicent and Beatriz talked a bit about their adult sons both now living in Germany and of course since they have a cat in their home we exchanged stories about Salvador and Bowie. Beatriz is a very accomplished speaker of Spanish, French, English, German and Catalàn. She teaches tourism to adults. Vicent is an accomplished speaker of Spanish French and Catalàn. He is a journalist and has made some very interesting documentaries. I watched him one evening on tv doing a documentary on the ancient art of bell- ringing*. They are just as curious about the ancient art of hurling in Kilkenny. It amuses me to think that the hurlers here are known fondly as The Cats and the Valencian soccer players are known fondly as The Bats.
The slippery soap
On the Sunday we were off to Manises for lunch. The restaurant was due to close for a week so LLuis and his staff were in really good form. Amparo who was constantly caring for her 92 year old mother with the same name Amparo, was around that day and got to meet my guests. The meal was scrumptious – with a choice of a few different courses. I had decided that my favourite was a cheesy dish but I managed to enjoy a fish dish also and of course dessert was not to be missed. Vicent is a Valencian author and had his book launch of El Sahara, La Terra Promesa, shortly after my return to Ireland. Beatriz was the photographer and captured the occasion well.
They also brought me a gift of homemade soap. It was interesting for me to hear that Vicente’s mother, Amparin, who was looking forward to her 90ieth birthday in July, has been making soap for years from recycled olive oil and is still producing the goods. She is of that generation that doesn’t believe in wasting anything. The gift took on a special significance during Covid-19, in that every time I used it to wash my hands I thought of my lovely friends in downtown Valencia.
Author Lily Anne